Soulmates
by EPICbrows
Summary: everyone is born with a necklace that grows warmer when you're near your soul mate who wears the other half Jake and Sherry meet when they are young but don't get the chance short but sweet


They all knew the story. All babies were born clutching a necklace that was only half of a symbol, the other half was held by your soul mate. When they drew nearer they would know for the cold stone would blaze, blaze like their hearts for each other, even if they didn't know it yet.

Jake was happily running ahead hearing the shouts of his mother behind him, A slight woman with hair as russet as autumn leaves, her eyes the colour of baked conkers

"Jake Muller you stop right there young man"  
He stopped, rocking on his heels, waiting for her to catch up with him "don't rush ahead you could get hurt, now stay close or I'm taking you home and you wont be able to go to the park"  
"yes mom"  
She beamed at her son catching his hand, the apple of her eye, a good kid with an open heart and too much energy. Often she wondered what it would be like to have his father around, but no she knew it was better this way, even if Jake was a handful. Instinctively she touched her necklace, half an octagon, knowing where the other half lay. Hers was cold, almost an ache against her chest.  
"Jake" she cried feeling his hand slip out of hers as he charged off, her eyes scanned worriedly as he slipped around the corner "Jake" she called, legs carrying her after him without a second thought

...

Jake rushed ahead feeing the wind ruffle his hair happily unaware of the anguish he was causing his mother. He could see the trees, desperate to climb them he put on a burst of speed. The tiny redhead froze feeling warmth spread over his heart, his necklace burned white hot "ouch" he breathed at the same time he heard a higher pitched moan, musical and synchronised with his cry. Jakes eyes swivelled around the street and across the road was a girl with her mother, not native. He didn't know them and he knew everyone in his small town, tourists? Small for her age, at least five years older then him. Blonde and slender, wide eyes simpering blue. Her eyes caught his in a daze, drawn to each other like magnets. People waited years to meet their soul mates, some never did. Wondering around alone, lost on the street. It was a sad sight, Jake knew it well. His mom had met her soul mate but like in some cases despite the soul matching they couldn't take each other. They ran. His mom looked so sad sometimes, her eyes clouded and he knew she was matching the memory of his father. The good times and the bad times with her choice. Jakes fingers brushed over the puzzle piece, dark as night etched with a S, feeling the warmth flow through his fingers. He knew the other half would fit his, calmness battled excitement in his heart as he watched her do the same, white as marble but just as warm.  
"what are you looking at?"  
her mother had glanced back only just realising her daughter had stopped in the middle of the street  
"come on your father is done with his research and we have to get going"  
"yes mom" her eyes slid away, cast downwards as the symbol grew colder then ice, taking her heart away with each step  
"no" Jake cried sprinting out into the road after her "no"  
"Jake, oh god Jake" Out of breath, hair flyaway in the breeze his mothers firm hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him back. They were safe, both hearts racing for different reasons, but beating for someone they loved all the same  
"Jake Andrew Muller don't you dare run into the road again you hear me? Its dangerous and you could get seriously hurt"  
His lower lip quivered slightly, feeling lost and alone, sharing his mothers pain. Unable to respond he quietly slipped his hand into his mothers and swore to never rush ahead again, rushing caused more pain then they both realised. It was a promise he wouldn't be able to keep

…

Many years later and a world away Jake stirred in his small cot, the thing was so tiny his feet poked off the edge 'maybe I should just sleep on the fucking floor in future' his thoughts buzzed angrily. The others of his platoon seemed to be sleeping happily, snoring in the weak sunlight. Jake sat up stiffly rolling his shoulders and shuffling to the end of the bed. 15 years had changed him, no longer was he the kid with an easy smile, an open heart. Jake Muller had seen too much in his young life to know that the world was not roses, that nothing came for free. Slowly he rose and stalked into the bathroom. He shivered in the cold air, reflection staring back at him in a cracked mirror, or was it him? Was he the one who was cracked? Eyes hard as marbles, hypnotic blue, right side of his face marred by a scar. He hated it, he hated this life but it was what he knew, what was kind to him in a sense. Yawning he filled the sink with water 'no one had better wake the hell up' Jake relished in the mornings alone, rising a hour before everyone else so he could avoid the glances the others gave him just for a time; Scared, pitying, admiration, Jake loathed them all. calmly he splashed his face, making him gasp as the icy sensation ran down his face. He was definitely awake and very hungry. Padding back down the hall he plucked some clothes from his foot locker and threw them on, by this time the others were stirring  
"looking good Muller" one yawned sleepily  
"oh hey a morning show" they laughed watching as the red head pulled on his top with a grumble  
"I ain't here to entertain you ass holes"  
"ooooh touchy"  
Jake turned on his heel and left there stifled laughs behind 'fuck 'em' he groaned making it to the mess without decking anyone. He leant against the counter brewing coffee and slowly chewing his cereal. The others came in, eyes averted as they took their seats. The new recruit got everyone breakfast normally, it was the same for Jake when he started, cooking for them, cleaning. Now he still preferred to do those things, he needed no ones help. Snatching his cup he settled down away from the rest, Jakes eyes caught his bracelet with a pang. A few years ago just after his mothers passing he defected from his platoon and went in search of the girl, his soul mate. After months of fruitless searching he gave up, tearing his necklace off. The burden was too heavy to bear over his heart so he fastened it onto a bracelet, easier to forget, to let go. For all he knew she could be dead. Pain seeped through his stomach at the thought, gnawing at his insides  
"hey Jake are you looking at that thing again?"  
"no"  
one of the troop dropped next to him with a smile, he was new and naïve, he didn't know Jakes reputation  
"I met mine when I was 14, he is wonderful too" his smile radiated from him, Jake glared at him in response  
"so?" he bit back  
"have you met yours?" the happy tone had dropped nerves creeping in  
"yeah when I was a damn kid, saw her once then she left, see not everythin' is so fucking happy all the time kid"  
"k-kid? I'm 17"  
"good for you, how about you piss off"  
The boy got up shuffling off nervously. Jake sighed, he had to learn sometime though, the world was a damn horrible place.  
"New orders boys" the leader boomed from the door, a vast man who was grizzled with age "we gotta go capture this scientist our client wants. Apparently the government have agents stationed there, take them out and secure the target. We leave in an hour boys. To America"  
Jake smirked, work to keep him busy, to keep his thoughts at bay. Easy and well paying, the day looked brighter already. He ignored the hollow feeling in his heart, the sense of dread as the cold stone pulsed on his vein. He was never going to see her, his bitterness ate him like a decease. Gracefully he rose and went to get his weapons for the task at hand.

…

It was late or early depending on how you look at it when the plane touched down in America, the streets quiet and fresh. They had their coordinates, their orders. Straight there, pick up the target and bring him back to the boss. Simple and straight forward, they were assigning teams, Jakes got the left wing of the establishment, supposedly heavily guarded. They had no qualms about the mission, they knew these government types, soft and easy to kill. This was easy pickings and second nature to them. They had not seen real brutality of living by their wits, no they went home to their partners and soft beds, made them weak. Jake cruised the streets warily but nothing stirred, the place was on the outskirts so no one need know what was going on.  
It was a big place full of windows and doors. West wing and East wing glowing sentinel over each other, the curtains drawn. Jake shivered, not from nerves, but something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones, making his heart flutter 'what the fuck?' he breathed after the thought. Something was off, the door unlocked, they were expected

"get down" Jake called suddenly as the spray of bullets hit the walls. He hugged the one away from the agents  
"fuck" he groaned realising it was too late, ducking out he fired his gun at the opposition, hearing the thuds as they hit the floor. Not dead he had no time for kill shots, their position had been leaked  
"spread out and find the damn target" Jake dodged through a door feeling it slide closed behind him, team on the other side, he pressed forward. Through halls and halls he opened every door, bathroom, bed room, lab. By the time he reached the last one he was pissed off, from inside there drifted voices, soft and comforting. He couldn't help but stop and listen, captivated by them  
"they want to kill me"  
"no it's ok I won't give up Dr. Gull. I never give up we can do this"  
"thank you"  
"just hide ok? I can handle them"  
He heard the scuffing and scraping of a desk being pulled back, the target was hiding. Hitching his breath he pushed into the room, gun held high. The need to hesitate overwhelming  
"you and your damn team have done well"

Her eyes widened as she took in Jakes demeanour, how he had changed. His hard expression, his height, the way his top couldn't disguise his muscles, energy rolling off him in waves. Her heart hammered, he didn't know her, no he hadn't caught on yet. Sherry stumbled toward him in a daze, the necklace she wore blazing against her pale skin, so hot it melted her heart. Slowly she plucked it from beneath her shirt, watching with a smile as his eyes widened. Jake has felt a sting on his wrist but overlooked it as a stray bullet rebounding, a cut on the warped wood of the doors. Now he realised it was the tingle of his stone growing warmer as he approached the door. The need to listen to her voice, the need to hesitate. She was almost as he remembered, slightly taller, more curvy but she was still sweet in the face. Young and... his

"you look taller then I remember and here I was looking forward to calling you short stuff"  
"ain't nothin' short about me babe"  
"I should think not" Her voice was light, ringing in the room. It stirred something in Jake he had forgotten, hope. Slowly she yanked the chain off her neck holding out to Jake, he brought up his wrist and they slotted together, the warmth filled them both as the stones shimmered slightly  
"so you're my damn soul mate huh? Well we ain't gonna be anything if we don't get the fuck out of here"  
"we have to take the doc too"  
"right"  
He slung his gun in its holster "after you then babe" now he had her he wasn't going to let go  
"there is a secret exit on the second floor" she sighed "we have to go that way up the stairs"  
"right lead on then"

…

they were held up in a coffee shop off the main road. The doc as Sherry called him was sat across the café giving them alone time, stealing concerned glances at the blonde. He had grown fond of her, and even though he knew her soul mate would never hurt her he still felt nerves jangle as he watched.  
"so tell me what is your name?"  
"Jake Muller" his eyes were glued to her, drinking in every expression, her eyes were what held him captive. She smiled so much they shone, but he could see there was pain behind them too, they were alike yet so different. He wore his pain in every scowl, she hid hers away  
"Sherry Birkin" she beamed "this seems stupid, you're my soul mate and I don't know anything about you"  
"Jake Muller, 20, I'm a Scorpio though I don't believe in that bullshit, no parents. I work as a mercenary. What the fuck else is there?"  
"I don't know" her sigh took away her smile "I haven't done this either, my parents were together until they died. They seemed so natural together"  
"mine split. Dad was an ass so my mom left him. Left her pregnant. So I don't hold any hopes for me and you babe"  
"it happens Jake"  
"you know I don-"  
Sherry rolled her eyes and took his hand. What a boy he was yet he was older then her by far. The things he had seen, done, were etched into his face. Her heart stilled 'he is just lost' she had been lost but not for long. She had been saved before she fell, saved by the people she could rely on the most

"Jake you're not gonna give up without trying are you?"  
"no" he shook his head, eyes darting away. Her fingers linked with his felt right. Comforting and safe, she was like home, he missed that feeing.  
"this does seem stupid though"  
"Sherry Birkin, 26, Virgo, I like tea not coffee. My parents died when I was 12, what else is there?"  
He laughed easily, feeling the glow of hope warm through him. Feeling something else resonate with it, something out of reach crawling closer love? He didn't know  
"so what now?"  
"what now? Aren't you going to ask me out?" her voice was light and breezy in the morning sun, it had happened and she knew in her heart

that he wouldn't leave, they wouldn't break. There would be arguments, tears, and a life time together. She knew it as well as she knew her name, and without asking despite the doubts, he felt the same. They had started young, endured the pain of separation, the joy of finding each other. He was as Hardened as she was soft, as brash as she was courteous, as reckless as she was safe. Tall to her short, his manly exterior the opposite to her feminine one 'opposites really do attract it seems' she thought happily, thumb stroking over his hand. He didn't need to ask, where she went he would follow, and that is how they would always be.


End file.
